Newcastle's Kensington building listed for sale

Many lives: The building at 299 Hunter Street that formerly housed The Kensington Nightclub opened as The Kensington Theatre in 1970. The two-storey building has dual street frontages and off-street parking for three cars.

THE Newcastle building that formerly housed The Kensington Nightclub will be listed on the market next week, after sitting dormant for five years.

Colliers International’s Matt Kearney and Nick Christensen will take the building at 299 Hunter Street to auction on September 21. The property, which has a building area of 725 square metres and has been fitted out as a bar, is being marketed as providing “a great opportunity for hospitality companies and entrepreneurs to capitalise on the revitalising city centre and newly opened University of Newcastle NeW Space campus”.

Sale documents refer to it as being sold with primary service authorisation, which is sought as part of an existing or new application for an on-premises liquor licence. A PSA allows a venue to sell or supply liquor to patrons without requiring them to buy food, but doesn’t allow an on-premises licensed venue to operate as a bar. The sale or supply of liquor cannot be the primary purpose of the business. Venues that wish to operate as a bar must apply for a general bar hotel licence or a small bar licence.

“We’re thinking it will be best suited to a food and beverage operator, more of a restaurant or tapas style operation,” Mr Christensen said.

The owners previously tried to sell the property by expressions of interest in 2012. The Herald reported at the time the owners had spent more than $4 million on the interior including “DJ areas, dance floors, three refrigerated bars, cool rooms, post-mix system and a more relaxed lounge area” over eight years trying to establish a nightclub. The venture was twice refused a liquor licence, but opened briefly in 2011 under a catering licence. It then operated as a dry venue for teenagers to October 2012.

CLOSE TO HOME

18 Honeysuckle Drive.

COLLIERS International has listed the sale of its own Newcastle headquarters.

The agency’s Adam Leacy will take the ground floor of 18 Honeysuckle Drive – an office tower and mixed use building developed by the DOMA Group – to auction on site on September 21. Colliers recently signed a 10 year lease with a further two five year options.

“It comprises 509 square metres of lettable area with eight secured car spaces and an annual net rental of about $213,062,” he said.